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DR. WATSON - The database is aimed at the general public, with scientific, comprehensive, and easy to understand information.
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The following sources of information are used: the scientific database PubMed Database, scientific sources, official studies of the European Union or individual governments, but also industry reports, for example from the renowned British research institute Leatherhead Food International, journals and monographs. International trade and public media are also evaluated.
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Since research is preferably carried out by electronic means, DR. WATSON relies primarily on recent scientific research. The weighting of the sources is indicated in the bibliography, as is customary internationally.
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DR. WATSON commissions its own laboratory tests; where this is the case, it is indicated. Uniform rules for wording apply to the information on risks and side effects:
DR. WATSON commissions its own laboratory tests; where this is the case, it is indicated. Uniform rules for wording apply to the information on risks and side effects:
In this context means
• Very rare / There are individual case reports with one to ten cases.
• Rarely / There are case reports with cases in the per thousand range
• Frequently / There are cases in the percentage range
• Very frequently / The side effects occurred in more than 5 percent of the cases
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When assessing risks, DR. WATSON takes into account whether adverse effects were observed only in test tubes, or also in animals or humans. This is also stated.
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Allergies or allergy-like reactions can also vary widely, from transient harmless rashes to asthma, respiratory distress, and severe so-called anaphylactic shock. The allergy risk is differentiated according to the observed effects in this sense.
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For many harmful effects, the amount of consumption plays a major role, whether as a single dose or as a chronic dose. When assessing substances, DR. WATSON has therefore also taken into account whether a substance is consumed much or little.